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HISTORY OF TURKEY
The land of Anatolia has seen many civilizations, signs of which are spread all around, beginning from the earliest ages of humanity.
Paleolithic times dating back approximately 500,000 years ago, constitute the first period from which findings from the lives of oldest humans exist. Discoveries have been made by archaeologists at Belbasi and Beldibi near Antalya, bringing this age to light.
The period 8000-5000 BC, saw the Neolithic age, when the first settlements with the first communities occurred. The world's first town is at Catal Hoyuk in Konya in Turkey. The more sophisticated characteristics of this period are easily observed from the findings at this settlement and in Hacilar.
Next comes the Bronze Age, between 2500-2000 BC, during which the Hatti culture developed, and the Hittites followed from 1800 to 1200 BC. During these two periods, Anatolia witnessed more advanced social systems and the establishment of great monuments. Hattusas, (Bogazkoy) near Ankara, was the capital of Hittites, and at Yazilikaya, another Hittite centre, hieroglyphic tablets from this period have been found.
Several centuries later, about 800 BC, the Carian, Lycian, Lydian and Phrygian Empires were established, as well as Greek colonies. The cultural signs from this age still remain all over the Aegean Coast.
The Greeks between 330 - 323 BC, conquered the Persian states founded in the 6th century BC. The Greek (Hellenistic) Empire spread over the land, from which period city walls, gymnasiums, theatres and stadiums remain.
By 230 BC, Romans were crossing the Aegean towards Anatolia, and from this period onwards, the Anatolian lifestyle was influenced by the Romans. Many changes took place in the land of Turkey during these times, the Cappadocia region still bearing the imprint of Rome to this day.
After the advent of Christianity, the Roman Empire was divided into two in AD 395; the Western Empire eventually collapsed and the Eastern evolved into the Byzantine Empire. Constantinople (Istanbul) was the capital, which was conquered by the Latin incursion in AD 1204. By this time, Islam had been brought to Anatolia with the invasions of Arabs in AD 654. They passed their religion onto the Seljuk Turks who occupied most of the land following them and Konya became the Seljuk capital in this period.
After AD 1243, Mongols invaded Anatolia, while soon after, the Ottoman Turks, advanced and founded the Ottoman Empire in 1299. With the conquest of Constantinople in 1453, the Ottoman Empire enlarged its borders in Europe, Africa and Middle East. Until its official end in 1918, this empire saw many periods of growth, retrenchment, and further growth, leaving its heritage and treasures all around.
Turkey also has a very fascinating recent history. Upon the decline of the Ottoman Empire, a young man named
Mustafa Kemal, who was a soldier by occupation but in character, a great visionary, took the defeat of World War I
and turned it into a shining victory by liberating Turkey from all foreign invaders. With the signing of the Treaty
of Lausanne in July 1923, Turkey was recognized as an independent equal among the world nations. Mustafa Kemal
Ataturk was elected by the Grand National Assembly to be the first president of Turkey in its new capital Ankara
and founded the Republic of Turkey on October 29, 1923. He led his country into peace and stability, with tremendous
economic growth and complete modernization. Through decades of change and growth, Turkey still boasts this success,
living by its adopted motto of "Peace at Home, Peace in the World."
Many of the reforms can be listed under the general heading of secularisation. In addition the state being proclaimed a secular one in 1928, the caliphate (the office of the spiritual and civil head of Islam) was abolished in 1924, all schools (religious and otherwise) were put under the ministry of Education, dervish orders were banned. Islamic canonical law (sheriat) was replaced by Turkish law, which was a combination of European codes. In 1928 a modified Latin alphabet was introduced and in 1932 the Turkish Linguistic Society was founded to purify and simplify the language in the interest of helping unify the people. Surnames were required in 1934 and old titles indicating professions and classes were dropped. Now The Turkish Republic is based on secular democratic, pluralist and parliamentary system, where law and social justice protect human rights. The National Assembly is elected by popular vote and the nation is governed by the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister. Turkey is a founding member of OECD, the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization, a member of NATO, the European Council and the European Parliament, and an associate member of the European Community.
The country has played a vital role in the development of two world religions and has an incredibly rich cultural heritage, affecting almost every field of artistic, scientific and philosophical endeavour.
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